China's mBridge CBDC platform surpasses $55 billion in volume

The great success of CBDC

The mBridge project — a multi-central bank digital currency (CBDC) platform led by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) , in partnership with the central banks of China , Hong Kong , Thailand , the United Arab Emirates , and Saudi Arabia — has reached a significant milestone, surpassing US$55 billion in cumulative transaction volume since its launch in 2022.

According to the latest official update from the BIS Innovation Centre and participating central banks, published on January 18, 2026, the platform has now processed over 5,000 real-value cross-border wholesale CBDC transactions, with a total value exceeding US$55 billion.

This figure reflects the rapid acceleration in activity over the past 12 months, driven by expanded participation, improved interoperability, and a growing number of practical use cases among commercial banks and financial institutions in participating countries.

The $55 billion volume milestone.

Surpassing the $55 billion mark in transaction volume is a significant milestone. This demonstrates that mBridge is not limited to pilot-scale testing, but is increasingly handling significant commercial flows, including trade payments, treasury operations, and interbank settlements.

This scale indicates that participating organizations are increasingly confident in the platform's operational reliability, legal and regulatory transparency, and its ability to meet real-world liquidity needs.

In the context of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) – where many projects are still in the conceptual stage – trading volume is the strongest indicator of progress.

Redefining cross-border payments

Traditional cross-border payment methods often involve multiple intermediaries, payment delays, exchange rate discrepancies, and opaque fees. mBridge shortens this process to near-instantaneous, direct payments between central bank-issued currencies.

The economic impacts include a significant reduction in payment risk, lower transaction costs, improved capital efficiency, and increased transparency for regulatory bodies.

For economies heavily reliant on trade, these benefits can significantly improve cash flow and reduce dependence on overseas liquidity centers.

Our review

mBridge surpassing the $55 billion transaction volume mark signifies a decisive step forward for CBDCs (central bank digital currencies) as a practical tool for cross-border payments. This demonstrates that national digital currencies can go beyond theory and deliver measurable economic utility on a large scale.

As the global financial landscape becomes increasingly multipolar, platforms like mBridge are likely to play an increasingly important role—not by immediately replacing existing systems, but by continuously providing faster, cheaper, and more sovereign alternatives.

In the long run, mBridge's success demonstrates that the future of cross-border payments will not be determined by a single system—but by competing digital channels, each optimized for different economic and political realities.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is the author's personal opinion in the field of cryptocurrency. This is not financial or investment advice. All investment decisions should be based on careful consideration of your personal portfolio and risk tolerance. The views expressed in this article do not represent the official stance of the platform. We recommend that readers conduct their own research and consult with experts before making any investment decisions.

Compiled and analyzed by HCCVenture

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